Ensure safe water and proper toilets are accessible to all.
Goal 6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focuses on the mission to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Access to clean water and proper sanitation is a basic human right. It is essential for protecting health, promoting equality, preserving the environment, and supporting long-term social and economic development.
Ensure that everyone, everywhere, has reliable and affordable access to clean drinking water.
Indicator: Proportion of the population using safely managed water services that are available at home, free from contamination, and accessible when needed.
Guarantee proper toilets and hygiene facilities for all, with special attention to women, girls, and marginalised groups, while eliminating open defecation.
Indicator: Share of the population using improved sanitation facilities and handwashing stations with soap and water.
Reduce pollution, minimise the release of dangerous chemicals, halve untreated wastewater, and increase recycling and safe reuse.
Indicators: Percentage of wastewater safely treated; share of water bodies with good quality standards
Promote the efficient use of water resources, safeguard sustainability, and reduce the number of people experiencing water shortages.
Indicators: Improvements in water-use efficiency; ratio of freshwater withdrawals to available supplies.
Adopt effective and coordinated approaches for managing water at local, national, and cross-border levels.
Restore and conserve vital ecosystems such as rivers, wetlands, forests, mountains, aquifers, and lakes.
Strengthen assistance to developing countries by building infrastructure, transferring technology, and developing expertise.
Encourage and empower local communities to manage and protect their own water and sanitation resources.
Expand and maintain reliable systems for water supply and sanitation.
Invest in wastewater treatment, recycling, and water-saving solutions.
Train and empower local communities to manage water and sanitation services.
Provide financial support, technology, and expertise to countries with the greatest need.
Safe water and sanitation prevent the spread of deadly diseases.
Lack of toilets and hygiene facilities disproportionately harms women and girls, affecting education, dignity, and safety.
Proper treatment of wastewater and reduced pollution help protect ecosystems and biodiversity.
Water is essential for farming, industry, and energy, making it a foundation for sustainable economic progress.
Since the 1990s, access to improved drinking water and sanitation has increased significantly. However, progress remains uneven. Many regions are still under water stress, and some nations are close to depleting their renewable freshwater sources. Achieving universal access by 2030 requires urgent global action, innovation, and strong partnerships.
Clean water and sanitation are not privileges—they are basic rights that support human dignity and sustainable living. Goal 6 is about more than health; it is about fairness, environmental protection, and economic opportunity. Every action matters because every person deserves safe water, proper sanitation, and a healthier future.
At Sustainable Development Goals, we believe clean water and proper sanitation are basic needs for a healthy and respectful life.
